Using the TSM Linux/Unix Client for Archive & Retrieve

1. Introduction

This section will provide an introduction to archiving files on a Linux or Unix platform using the TSM GUI interface and how to retrieve files back to the local machine. The screen shots and descriptions that follow refer to a TSM client running on Solaris v5.8 but the interface is generic to most flavours of Unix and Linux with only minor differences.

2. Using the Linux/Unix TSM GUI Interface

Start the TSM GUI by running

dsmj

from the shell prompt. Users running Solaris should run

LC_CTYPE=C dsm

unless the LC_CTYPE variable is already set to this value. You should see a screen similar to below.

The following sections assume familiarity with using the TSM GUI interface in selecting and expanding folders and file objects. If you are unfamiliar with this interface there is a usefully concise help guide within the TSM GUI that can be reviewed quickly.

From the TSM GUI front screen click the Getting Started icon to display the screen below. It is worth 5 minutes time to explore all three items.

3. Archiving Selected Files & Directories

To archive multiple files and/or directories, open the TSM GUI and click the Archive files and directories button. The screen will look similar to below.

Expand the view of local file systems by clicking the + symbol adjacent to the Local entry.

Files in the root directory of the file system will be displayed in the right-hand window by clicking the grey icon immediately left of the file system mount point in the left-hand window. Directories immediately under the file system mount point can be expanded by clicking the + symbol. Sub-directories can be similarly expanded. File contents of sub-directories can be displayed by clicking the grey icon immediately to the left of the directory name. Individual directories and files can be selected in both left and right-hand windows by clicking the grey selector boxes, as displayed below.

Having selected the directories, ensure the correct Description is selected. By default this displays as Archive Date: dd-mm-yyyy. To archive the directories under an existing Description click the Select button to the right and choose from the displayed list.

A new description may be entered by typing directly in the Description field. Once you have settled on the correct description, click the Archive button. The Task List screen will next display as the TSM client constructs a list of local files and inspects them against a list on the server. Files will then be backed up as illustrated below.

The archive can be halted at any time by clicking the red circle button in the Task List window. A Detailed Status Report, as illustrated below, can be displayed by clicking the centre button in the Task List window.

Closing the Detailed Status Report while the archive is running returns focus to the Task List window above. Closing it when the archive is complete returns focus to the front window of the TSM GUI.

4. Archive Options

Start the TSM GUI and click the Archive files and directories button. Clicking the button between the Estimate button and the Help button will display the current options for Archive. The default options are illustrated below but can be changed for the duration of the current archive session. Clicking the [Compress objects] check box will considerably slow the archive and is not recommended. Equally, it is not recommended that the [Delete files after Archive] option is selected: see the section Local File Deletion in Initial Considerations before using Archive & Retrieve for further details.

Clicking an option and then pressing the <F1> key will display help specific to that option. The default values are generally fine for most uses.

5. Retrieving Selected Files & Directories

The interface for Retrieve differs from that of Archive. Start the TSM GUI and click the Retrieve files and directories button. The left hand window will now display a list of all the descriptions under which files have been archived.

Clicking the + symbol adjacent to the description text will cause the directory structure under which files have been archived to display. The directory structure can be further expanded by clicking the + symbols. A list of archived files will be displayed in the right-hand window by clicking the grey icon immediately to the left of the directory name.

Individual directories and files can be selected and deselected in both left and right-hand windows by clicking the grey selector boxes, as displayed below.

Clicking the Retrieve button causes the following screen to display.

By default, files will be retrieved to their original location. This may not be what you want, particularly when retrieving several (older) versions of a file as each version will overwrite the previously retrieved version.

If you wish to store the retrieved files in a location other than their original, click the Following location radio button and then the Select button to select a destination folder to which you wish to have the files retrieved. The path options control what directory structure to use for retrieved files and directories. The default is Retrieve partial path. Clicking for help on these options will give worked examples of how they effect the retrieve path. Remember when retrieving a large number of large files, to ensure that there is enough space to hold the retrieved files.

Clicking the Retrieve button will execute the retrieval process. A Task List Window will display which may be expanded to a Detailed Status Report window. These windows share the same appearance and functionality as in the Archiving select files & directories section.

6. Retrieve Options

Start the TSM GUI and click the Retrieve files and directories button. Clicking the button between the Estimate and Help buttons will display the current options for Retrieve. The default options are illustrated below but can be changed for the duration of the current retrieve session.

7. Deleting Archived Files

Archive clients have the ability to delete archived files held on the TSM Archive server. Care should obviously be exercised when using this option as data deleted can not under any circumstances be recovered.

Nevertheless, there may be circumstances where temporary versions of files have been archived and can now be safely deleted. To do this start the TSM GUI and from the Utilities menu choose the [Delete Archive Data] option. TSM will now display a screen identical to the initial Retrieve window with archived files organised under their descriptions.

Files and directories may be selected via a similar interface as when retrieving files: see Retrieving selected files & directories. Having selected the objects to delete, clicking the Delete button will cause the user to be prompted for confirmation of the deletion.

8. Changing your TSM Password

You should change the password given to you by Registration as soon as you have successfully logged into the TSM hub window to something more meaningful to you. Remember that your password represents the security of your archives. Anyone who learns your password can damage your archives so choose one difficult to guess, and keep it to yourself. The initial letters of some phrase of significance to yourself is often a good choice. TSM passwords are case independent. In addition to letters and digits they can contain the characters + - _ . & (plus, minus, underscore, point, ampersand); a password must be between 6 and 63 characters long. To change your TSM password, start the TSM GUI. From the initial window choose the Utilities menu and select the [Change Password...] option. The following screen will be displayed:

Enter your current password, then enter your new password twice and click the Change button.